Name: Khadija (Born prematurely)

Parents: A lioness in the pride who is on the hunting teams. Her father is unknown, possibly a rogue

Siblings: None

Crush: Prince Amadi (c) --Nama--

Personality: Sweet, quiet, though isn’t afraid to tell it like it is. Much like Prince Amadi, she is often the concern of her mother due to her own fragile health. While her mother is away hunting, she is left in the care of the Prince’s family, and while she wishes to play with the older cubs, she knows she can’t and stays with Amadi on the side. She loves her mother and wishes they spent more time together.

History: Khadija was the only cub born to her mother. As her name suggests, she was born much too early. The labor was difficult for her mother, but the lioness managed to succeed, but her relief at the cease of the labor pains was short-lived when two of the pride sisters, one of them being Kiara, noticed their friend’s cub wasn’t breathing.

The shaman Rafiki was called for immediately and when he arrived and examined the newborn cub closely and carefully he reported the grave news to the new mother. He said that with a premature birth there was a slim chance the cub would survive. Speaking such words caused pain for the old mandrill because he had said something similar a few weeks earlier to Queen Kiara’s second daughter, Princess Kala, whose last born cub, the newly named Prince Amadi, was a very weak with a short life expectancy.

But the Great Kings seemed to have been working on a miracle because both the infant Prince, and the newly named Khadija, managed to survive and grow up, though one would be prone to illness, and the other would tire quickly and sometimes rapidly.

While the other cubs, the sons and daughters of King Chaka and Queen Penda, played with their four young cousins, Prince Amadi and Khadija remained close to Princess Kala. Not that this was a bad thing. It gave the two cubs – who otherwise would have nothing in common and no real reason to interact with each other – spend the days watching the others, betting on who would ever win whatever game that was being played.

Amadi and Khadija grew close, thanks to the odds that were stacked against them and brought down when they were born. An act of the Great Kings enabled them to live. It was their will, and their parents were without a doubt grateful.

As time passed, Amadi and Khadija kept a close eye on each other – a promise the two made after she had woken from a nap that was brought on by tiredness when she arrived with her mother. The promise was Amadi’s idea, and it had come to him while he watched Khadija rest at his mother’s side. It hurt him to see her tire so quickly, though it was expected. He wasn’t surprised to know that Khadija liked the idea. It entailed that they would be there for each other when one of them fell ill or when they both were ill that they were to be in the same place so they could help, comfort and watch out for one another.

Upon telling their parents, who found it odd, save Kala, who thought it was a good idea because she had seen the close friendship between her son and Khadija, their promise was granted. Amadi was there for Khadija and vice versa. They were in the same place when it was both of them and it strengthened their friendship.

As they started growing up, the illnesses weren’t as bad, but present nonetheless. There was always a sense of urgency on the other’s part when it happened and the need to be there during and in the aftermath. It was an obligation, a duty, a respect. It bound them together. They had found from cubhood that they needed each other.

So few understood the connection they shared. But they knew and that was all that mattered. It was something only for them.

Relation to TLK: Good friend of Prince Amadi, the grandson of the former King Kovu and Queen Kiara

Headshot and Body base (c) Me